This is a review of the Angelcare Movement and Sound Monitor. Angelcare is a Montreal based company that was founded in 1997 by a man and wife who had given birth to a child and were riddled with anxiety because they were uncomfortable with just the audio monitoring device to monitor their child. They embarked on their mission to develop a monitoring device that would sense motion, and thus was born the Angelcare Movement and Sound Monitor. Their award-winning, patented “sensor pad” revolutionized baby monitoring technology overnight. The words “pretty and practical” are commonly used to describe the Angelcare Movement and Sound Monitor.

The Pros

The following summarizes the positive aspects of the Angelcare Movement and Sound Monitor:

20-second notification of non-movement-This is probably the most significant feature to the Angelcare Movement and Sound Monitor. If your child has not moved for 20 seconds, you receive a beeping notification of motionlessness. According to the reviews, this has given parents incredible peace of mind.

Alerts-Along the same lines, the alerts are very sensitive and can be set to sound, vibration, or both, much like the feature of most phones nowadays.

Zero interference-Customers speak very highly of the Angelcare Movement and Sound Monitor relative to interference, or lack thereof. Even in “high tech” houses where there are a whole bunch of electronic devices, there does not seem to be any interference issues.

Company Diligence-The Company recently made a recall of all Angelcare Movement and Sound Monitor devices, identifying the baby monitoring cord as a potential strangulation exposure. While not mandated to do so, Angelcare did so nonetheless. Hats off to them for their due diligence.

Customer Service-Sometimes the lack of feedback on customer service is a good thing-it suggests a minimal need for it. Feedback on customer service, when needed, was extremely positive.

The Cons

Here are some negatives associated with the Angelcare Movement and Sound Monitor:

Product Life Span-My review of customer feedback suggests that the life span of the Angelcare Movement and Sound Monitor is about 1.5-2 years. Based on our vast and painstaking research on baby monitors, this, like it or not, is par for the course. Having reviewed dozens of baby monitoring system, you should expect to get a maximum of approximately 3 years out of your monitor. The Angelcare Movement and Sound Monitor does not differentiate itself from any other monitor in the lifespan category.

False Alarms-Some customers complained of false alarms-situations where the baby was moving around and yet the alarm for motionlessness would go off. While we’re not suggesting that this is a good thing, if given a choice between a false alarm and no alarm at all for lack of movement, we would take the former-we’d rather get the occasional false alarm and check on our precious one.

Parent Unit Battery Charge-This was identified as an issue where the parent unit(s) would not keep a charge. Our vast research tells us that the advertised battery charge life of 4 hours for the Angelcare Movement and Sound Monitor is average at best. Many other monitors tout a battery charge life of 8 hours, twice the advertised charge life of this monitor.

Temperature Readout-Honestly, we are baffled by this. Like in so many other cases we have found, the temperature readout is off plus or minus 2-3 degrees. Why manufacturers cannot seem to figure this out intrigues us. That said, unfortunately, the Angelcare Movement and Sound Monitor measures up on a par with other monitors-unfavorably.

Instructions-Customers complained about the instructions for use of the Angelcare Movement and Sound Monitor to be vague. They also said that the wiring was confusing. Well, at least their customer service is great, so if you need help, it’s likely you’ll get good customer support.

Frequently Asked Questions

We have tried to identify some of the more frequently asked questions about the Angelcare Movement and Sound Monitor. Here are some of the more prevalent frequently asked questions:

Q: How long should I use the Angelcare Movement and Sound Monitor? How old should my child be?

A: Use the monitor from newborn to 24 months old. At that point, if you want some peace of mind, you can still continue to use the sound function. The choice is yours.

Q: Should I lay my child right on the sensor pad?

A: No. The sensor pad of the Angelcare Movement and Sound Monitor should be placed underneath your child’s mattress.

Q: Can I use the sound only mode?

A: Yes. Using the up/down keys on the parent unit, you can select the icon to use sound only.

Q: Can I use the Angelcare Movement and Sound Monitor for twins?

A: The sensor pad is designed to only monitor the motion of one child. So, it’s a 1:1 ratio.

Q: What happens in the event of a power failure?

A: The power will automatically convert to battery power. Make sure that you always have both the parent and infant units charged.

Final Verdict

Having completed dozens of baby monitor reviews, the Angelcare Movement and Sound Monitor ranks very highly relative to all other monitors. In a sense, it is comparing apples and oranges, since the sensor pad makes this monitor very different than the standard audio/visual monitors. Our opinion is that this monitor is a definite BUY.